Process for chillproofing and stabilizing wine, grape juice, and other fruit juices



Patented Apr. 29, 1947 PROCESS FOR CHILLPROOFING AND STA- BILIZING WINGRAPE JUICE, AND

OTHER FRUIT J UICES Monroe J. Cohen, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor toMonarch Wine Company, Inc., Brooklyn. N. Y., a corporation of New YorkNo Drawing. Application June 6, 1942, Serial No. 446,134

Claims. 1

The instant invention relates to the chillproofing and stabilizing 01'wine, grape juice and other fruit juices and the like by rendering sameproof against tartrate precipitation and immune to infection by yeastsand/or other microorganisms.

One oi the primary objects 01 the invention is, therefore, the treatmentof wines, grape juice and similar beverages in a simple and eiiiclentmanner to accomplish the results set out above.

As is well known, any wine or grape juice or other juices containing anappreciable quantity of cream 01 tartar will cloud or deposit a tartratesediment upon prolonged standing or upon subjection to temperaturesbelow 60 Fahrenheit. Accordingly, it is the principal object of theinstant invention to treat the aforementioned beverages in a manner tobe hereinafter fully described so that these will remain clear and freeof tartrate sediment even after prolonged subjection to extremely lowtemperatures. The need for removal of excess tartrates by means ofprolonged refrigeration is thus eliminated. Finally, loss of. aconsiderable portion of the valuable tartrate components from the wineor juice is thereby also prevented.

Wines and grape juice, unless preserved chemically or otherwise, areprone to attack by yeasts and/or micro-organisms. In the practice of thepresent invention, certain cations are eliminated from the beveragesbeing treated, said cations being essential to the metabolism 01' orsubjected to fermentation by yeasts or other micro-organisms. Thevarious micro-organisms are, therefore, incapable 01' growth,multipllcation or fermentation in wines or juices treated according tothe instant invention. Consequently, the need for chemical preservativesor for pasteurization in sealed containers for marketing is eliminated.

The basis of the instant invention is that of cation exchange by meansof a salt and acid regenerated carbonaceous zeolite. As illustrative ofa carbonaceous zeolite attention is directed to U. S. Patents Nos.2,170,065 and 2,260,971.

By employing zeolites such as disclosed in the aforementioned patents,the cream of tartar in the wine or juice is converted to a sodium acidtartrate-a more soluble iorm of acid tartrate than the correspondingpotassium salt; the reaction taking place may be written as follows:

KHCaI-hOs+Na-zeolite- NaHC4I-I4.Oa+K-zeolite The first step in thepractice or the process is mixture thus obtained is allowed to flowdownward through the bed of zeolite.

Regeneration is complete when no potassium 5 ions can be detected in theeifluent regenerant. In general, about one and one-half to three timesthe volume of the bed is the amount of regenerant mixture required for acomplete regeneration. Fresh clean water is next allowed to pass throughthe bed until the effluent wash is free of chloride ions.

The wine or grape juice to be treated is then allowed to pass throughthe bed untfl the efliuent wine or juice begins to show traces of creamof tartar or of potassium ions. At this point the zeolite bed must beregenerated. as above, beiore it can be used to treat more of the wineor juice. The entire cycle can be repeated an indefinite number of timeson the same bed of material.

By regulating the acidity of the regenerant it is possible to obtain aneiiiuent wine or juice of desired acid content.

From the above it will be appreciated that the objects of the inventionhave been fully attained and what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. The method of stabilizing wine and grape juice containing potassiumtartrate by the elimination of the potassium cations from the tartratesin said beverages which comprises treating the beverage with aregenerated sodium zeolite until the potassium ions in the treatedbeverage have been all converted to sodium ions.

2. The method of stabilizing wine and grape juice containing potassiumcations which comprises taking a bed oi regenerated sodium zeolite andthen passing the beverage therethrough until the eflluent beveragebegins to show traces of potassium ions.

3. The method of converting the cream oi! tartar in wine and grape juiceto a more soluble form 01 tartrate which comprises passing the beveragethrough a bed of sodium zeolite as long as the emuent beverage showsexchange of sodium for potassium ions.

auaeaa 3 4 4. The method of improving wine and gra e juice, containingpotassium cations prone to at- REFERENCES CITED tack by micm'm'gamsms'comprising tam The i'oilowin: references are of record in the bed ofregenerated sodium zeolite and eontinume of this ously passing thebeverage therethrough until the a eiliuent beverage begins to showtraces of potas- UNITED STATES PATENTS sium ions. Number Name Date Themethod of i g wine gtrape 1 2 25331 Rams, t 7 1941 fruit uices and simlar ever-ages eon aining potassid m tartrate prone to attack bymicro-orl0 FOREIGN PATENTS ganisms, and which will deposit tartratesediment Number country Date upon prolon ed standing or ubjection to low58.0.15 Bmmh NW 3, 1936 temperatures which comprises treating th b eragewith a regenerated sodium neoilte until potassium ions in the treatedbeverage have been 1; all converted to sodium ions.

MONROE J. COHEN.

Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,419,628. April 29, 1947.

MONROE J. COHEN It is hereby certified that the above numbered patentwas erroneously issued to Monroe J. Cohen, of Brooklyn, New York,assignor to Monarch Wine Com an Inc., of Brooklyn, New York, aqorporetion of New Yor whereas said atent s Quid have issued to MonroeJ. Cohen, of Brooklyn, New York, now by judicial c nge of name Monroe J.Coven, asst nor to Monarch Wine Company Inc., 0 Brooklyn, New York, acorporation of New 01%,; and that the said Letters l atent s lould beread with this ggirection therein that the same may conform to therecord of the case in the Patent Signed and sealed this 13th day of May,A. D. 1947.

LESLIE FRAZER,

First Assistant Commissioner of Patents.

auaoaa 3 4 4. The method of improving Wine and crane e juice, containingpotassium cations prone to at- Bogs m tack by mpflsmg W a The i'ollowin:references are of record in the bed of regenerated sodium zeolite andeontinume of this ously passing the beverage therethrough until the aeiiiuent beverage begins to show traces of potag- UNITED STATES PATENTSsium ions. Number Name Date The method of i g wine gtrape 1 2 25331Rams, t 7 1941 fruit uices and simi ar everages con aining potassiu mtartrate prone to attack by micro-orl0 FOREIGN PATENTS ganisms, andwhich will deposit tartrate sediment Number country Date upon prolon edstanding or ubjection to low 58.0.15 Bmmh NW 3, 1936 temperatures whichcomprises treating th b erage with a regenerated sodium aeoiite untilpotassium ions in the treated beverage have been 1; all converted tosodium ions.

MONROE J. COHEN.

Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,419,628. April 29, 1947.

MONROE J. COHEN It is hereby certified that the above numbered patentwas erroneously issued to Monroe J. Cohen, of Brooklyn, New York,assignor to Monarch Wine Com an Inc., of Brooklyn, New York, aqorporation of New Yor whereas said atent s OllKi have issued to MonroeJ. Cohen, of Brooklyn, New York, now by judicial c nge of name Monroe J.Coven, (183%. nor to Monarch Wine Company Inc, 0 Brooklyn, New York, acorporation of New ork, and that the said Letters l atent s iould beread with this ggirection therein that the same may conform to therecord of the case in the Patent Signed and sealed this 13th day of May,A. D. 1947.

LESLIE FRAZER,

First Assistant Commissioner of Patents.

